Revising Sentences for Clarity

The video tutorial emphasizes the importance of concise writing by removing empty words like 'this', 'that', and 'their'. It provides examples and exercises to help writers identify and eliminate unnecessary words, making their writing more precise and clear. The tutorial includes a step-by-step revision of a draft on distracted driving, demonstrating how to enhance clarity and conciseness. Students are encouraged to practice these techniques on their own writing to improve their skills.

Why is it important to avoid using words like 'this', 'that', and 'their' in writing?

• They make sentences more engaging.

• They add clarity to the writing.

• They are necessary for sentence structure.

• They can make sentences wordy and unclear.

What is the effect of starting a sentence with 'this', 'that', or 'their'?

• It enhances the sentence's meaning.

• It signals that the sentence might be wordy.

• It is grammatically incorrect.

• It makes the sentence more precise.

In the example 'There are cakes that need to be baked', which word is considered empty?

• Baked

• That

• Need

• Cakes

How can combining sentences help in writing?

• It complicates the sentence structure.

• It can make the writing more concise.

• It adds more empty words.

• It makes the text longer.

What was the revised sentence for the draft on distracted driving?

• Distracted driving is only a problem for teens.

• Distracted driving is not a problem.

• Distracted driving is a significant problem in our society today.

• Distracted driving is a minor issue.

What should you ask yourself when revising sentences?

• Can I add more words?

• Can I unclutter my sentences by removing empty words?

• Can I use more complex words?

• Can I make the sentence longer?

What is the purpose of using public service announcements in the context of distracted driving?

• To entertain drivers.

• To increase awareness about the dangers.

• To promote cell phone usage.

• To distract drivers further.

What is the benefit of removing 'their' and 'this' from sentences?

• It makes sentences more complex.

• It makes sentences longer.

• It makes sentences more concise and precise.

• It adds more detail.

What should you do after identifying empty words in your writing?

• Add more empty words.

• Ignore them.

• Underline them and leave them.

• Remove them and revise the sentence.

What is the final step in the video tutorial?

• Ignore the revisions.

• Write a new draft.

• Read the draft aloud.

• Apply the techniques to your own writing.